Martand Sun Temple, Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir

Martand Sun Temple, Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir

Martand Sun Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Surya located near Anantnag in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Martand is Sanskrit name for the Hindu Sun god. This Sun Temple is considered as an important historic ruin of Kashmir. The temple has been classified as a Monument of National Importance by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

History

The Martand Sun Temple was built by the third ruler of the Karkota Dynasty, Lalitaditya Muktipada, in the 8^th century CE. It is said to have been built during 725-756 CE. The foundation of the temple is said to have been around since 370-500 CE, with some attributing the construction of the temple to have begun with Ranaditya.

The temple was completely destroyed on the orders of Muslim ruler Sikandar Butshikan in the early 15^th century, with demolition lasting a year. The Government of India has developed the site as an important tourist site with facilities. The Archaeological Survey of India has declared the Martand Sun Temple as a site of national importance in Jammu and Kashmir. 

The Temple

The Temple was built on top of a plateau from where one can view whole of the Kashmir Valley. The Temple ruins is an excellent specimen of Kashmiri architecture, which had blended the Gandharan, Gupta, Chinese, Roman, Syrian Byzantine and Greek forms of architecture. The temple has a colonnaded courtyard, with its primary shrine in its center and surrounded by 84 smaller shrines, stretching to be 220 feet long and 142 feet broad total and incorporating a smaller temple that was previously built. 

The temple turns out to be the largest example of a peristyle in Kashmir, and is complex due to its various chambers that are proportional in size and aligned with the overall perimeter of the temple. The primary entrance to the temple is situated in the western side of the quadrangle and is the same width as the temple itself, creating grandeur. The entrance is highly reflective of the temple as a whole due to its elaborate decoration and allusion to the deities worshiped inside.

The primary shrine is located in a centralized structure (the temple proper) that is thought to have had a pyramidal top (a common feature of the temples in Kashmir). Various wall carvings in the antechamber of the temple proper depict other gods, such as Vishnu, and river goddesses, such as Ganga and Yamuna, in addition to the sun-god Surya.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 4 Kms from Mattan, 9 Kms from Achabal Gardens, 10 Kms from Anantnag, 13 Kms from Anantnag Railway Station, 65 Kms from Srinagar and 67 Kms from Srinagar Airport. The Temple is situated on Mattan to Achabal Gardens Route.

Location